Heat are absolutely ridiculous

[Brendan]

The Celtics have three advantages over the Heat head to head IMO:

1. Great teams can beat great stars, when the team is firing on all cylinders and the team is not. Think 2004 Pistons vs Lakers.

2. The Celtics can matchup with Wade / Allen and especially Bosh / KG and use man D to take away a lot of what that player does, without having to help. (West and Rondo can take Wade too. Although West is not the offensive threat Allen is.) They also have a bit of an "in your head" thing with Lebron, but I think that's over rated.

3. The Celtics still have a deep cast of guys who, while not super stars every night can go "superstar" in a game or a series. My list of guys who can look like super stars: Rondo, Ray, Pierce, KG, Shaq, BBD, Nate. Really the heat have Wade / Bosh / Lebron who can go super star and maybe Miller.


I think the Heat stats will say the Heat are better at end of rgular season (90%) chance, and probably 75% chance they have a better record than C's. But the gap is not so huge that the C's cannot hope to beat the Heat, and especially the C's advantages outlined above, I think its more like 50/50 who would win the series.

(Caveat: assumes health and even officiating in a 7 game series.)

[scaryjerry]

3 players scoring all your points against an average blazer team decimated by injury and pulling it out in overtime isnt that impressive...both the Mavericks and Celtics beat the Heat 2 times this season, yes ultimately theyre getting better but i think you overblowing it a bit, other then beating a lakers team in a middle of a slump...who have they beat? a bunch of teams they should be beating

[Snakehead]

3 players scoring all your points against an average blazer team decimated by injury and pulling it out in overtime isnt that impressive...both the Mavericks and Celtics beat the Heat 2 times this season, yes ultimately theyre getting better but i think you overblowing it a bit, other then beating a lakers team in a middle of a slump...who have they beat? a bunch of teams they should be beating

You can't discount winning 21 out of 22 games.  There are going to be close games in there, just like we have lost to bad teams and played close games to bad teams.

And they have beat some of the best teams in the NBA.  The Lakers didn't really have a slump at all before the Heat absolutely embarrassed them on their home floor.  They caused the slump.

Again, can't really knock 21 out of 22 games, no matter anything.  That's just impressive.

[mgent]

This is how the Heat need to play and it's the only way they can play.  As a team they suck.  As LeBron, they're good enough to grab a top seed.  As LeBron + Wade on the break they actually start to look scary.  When they play a team that actually knows how to play defense, two ballhogs passing the ball back and back isn't gonna cut it.

[scaryjerry]

3 players scoring all your points against an average blazer team decimated by injury and pulling it out in overtime isnt that impressive...both the Mavericks and Celtics beat the Heat 2 times this season, yes ultimately theyre getting better but i think you overblowing it a bit, other then beating a lakers team in a middle of a slump...who have they beat? a bunch of teams they should be beating

You can't discount winning 21 out of 22 games.  There are going to be close games in there, just like we have lost to bad teams and played close games to bad teams.

And they have beat some of the best teams in the NBA.  The Lakers didn't really have a slump at all before the Heat absolutely embarrassed them on their home floor.  They caused the slump.

Again, can't really knock 21 out of 22 games, no matter anything.  That's just impressive.

The lakers came in to that game after getting thumped by Milwaukee, playing there worst basketball of the year..and honestly no im not that impressed, theyre getting better but they dont really have a signature win as far as im concerned, and overall I was more worried about the cavs last season

[Snakehead]

3 players scoring all your points against an average blazer team decimated by injury and pulling it out in overtime isnt that impressive...both the Mavericks and Celtics beat the Heat 2 times this season, yes ultimately theyre getting better but i think you overblowing it a bit, other then beating a lakers team in a middle of a slump...who have they beat? a bunch of teams they should be beating

You can't discount winning 21 out of 22 games.  There are going to be close games in there, just like we have lost to bad teams and played close games to bad teams.

And they have beat some of the best teams in the NBA.  The Lakers didn't really have a slump at all before the Heat absolutely embarrassed them on their home floor.  They caused the slump.

Again, can't really knock 21 out of 22 games, no matter anything.  That's just impressive.

The lakers came in to that game after getting thumped by Milwaukee, playing there worst basketball of the year..and honestly no im not that impressed, theyre getting better but they dont really have a signature win as far as im concerned, and overall I was more worried about the cavs last season

So one loss is a slump?  And I don't know what "signature win" means to you, but if it means a meaningful win then I'd say thrashing the defending champions at home probably qualifies.

Again, 21 out of 22.  You should probably be more scared, especially over the Cavs who were very far below this Miami team in talent.  This is a far better team and one that doesn't just rely on one player, even if they rely heavily on three.  That's a lot different to stop than just one player.

[scaryjerry]

The lakers came into  that game playing there worst basketball of the season by any stretch of the imagination, and it showed on christmas day for everyone to see.

The heat are great, Im just not that impressed, considering its what i expected...an average Rockets team won 21(?) in a row a couple of seasons ago, noone ever expected that. Thats impressive. Lebrons a front a runner, Bosh doesnt scare me...Until they beat us in a 7 game series, in my opionion we are better, and more impressive..The heat have gottten it together, but the celtics are bigger, deeper, present the biggest matchup problems in the league for the heat and already beat them twice.
Yes in hindsight those cavs teams were frauds, but the past 2 regular seasons at this time they already were running away with the eastern conference

[CelticG1]

The lakers came into  that game playing there worst basketball of the season by any stretch of the imagination, and it showed on christmas day for everyone to see.

The heat are great, Im just not that impressed, considering its what i expected...an average Rockets team won 21(?) in a row a couple of seasons ago, noone ever expected that. Thats impressive. Lebrons a front a runner, Bosh doesnt scare me...Until they beat us in a 7 game series, in my opionion we are better, and more impressive..The heat have gottten it together, but the celtics are bigger, deeper, present the biggest matchup problems in the league for the heat and already beat them twice.
Yes in hindsight those cavs teams were frauds, but the past 2 regular seasons at this time they already were running away with the eastern conference

Also maybe it's just me but I feel like Lebron was gifted SOOO many calls while he was on those Cavs teams. Same with Wade and the Heat. Since they've teamed up I feel like a lot of those tiny touch calls haven't been whistled. I could be wrong though.

Also the Cavs were A LOT more intimidating at home. They had a crazy record that one year (2 or 3 losses) and I'm sure it wasn't much different last year. That was always a hostile environment to play in.

Miami is not an intimidating place to play

[Phil125]

I have a feeling fatigue will be setting in soon.  The amount of work those two have to do to win a game is going to take it toll.  If one of them takes a night off they will lose.  And we all know Lebron can take some nights off.

[cman88]

honestly, I would be surprised if the Heat got through the celtics, or even the Magic with the way they have been playing.

Both teams have advantages over the Heat in two big positions. Point guard and center. Wade/Lebron arent going to be able to drive to the hoop. Its going to be limiting them to jumpers.

Rondo/delonte, Arenas/nelson are going to eat up arroyo/chalmers and perk/Shaq or Howard vs whomever they have at center? no conteest

[housecall]

3 players scoring all your points against an average blazer team decimated by injury and pulling it out in overtime isnt that impressive...both the Mavericks and Celtics beat the Heat 2 times this season, yes ultimately theyre getting better but i think you overblowing it a bit, other then beating a lakers team in a middle of a slump...who have they beat? a bunch of teams they should be beating

TP,to much of the scoring goes thru three players to often.

[Moranis]

The 01-02 Lakers blew threw the playoffs with essentially the Shaq and Kobe show.  In the finals Shaq and Kobe scored 252 of the Lakers 424 points or just shy of 60%.  Fisher was the 3rd leading scorer in all but game 1 (fox had him by 1 point) and scored 51 points in the four games.  Putting him with Kobe & Shaq gives that trio 303 of the total points or 71.4% of the Lakers total (with Fox's 39 added in you are just under 81%).  The Lakers won all four of those games and all but game 2 were incredibly close games.

The reality is, come playoff time the teams with the superstars more times then not win because they have the superstars that can carry them when the going gets tough.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with have 3 players account for the vast majority of your scoring, if the 3 players are that good, which I believe the Heat trio is.  The Heat's downfall, if it has one, is it lacks size and could get muscled around.

[Snakehead]

The 01-02 Lakers blew threw the playoffs with essentially the Shaq and Kobe show.  In the finals Shaq and Kobe scored 252 of the Lakers 424 points or just shy of 60%.  Fisher was the 3rd leading scorer in all but game 1 (fox had him by 1 point) and scored 51 points in the four games.  Putting him with Kobe & Shaq gives that trio 303 of the total points or 71.4% of the Lakers total (with Fox's 39 added in you are just under 81%).  The Lakers won all four of those games and all but game 2 were incredibly close games.

The reality is, come playoff time the teams with the superstars more times then not win because they have the superstars that can carry them when the going gets tough.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with have 3 players account for the vast majority of your scoring, if the 3 players are that good, which I believe the Heat trio is.  The Heat's downfall, if it has one, is it lacks size and could get muscled around.

Good post, TP.

People have selective memory.  I think there is a major problem having 1 player be so dominating on a team (as in LeBron on the Cavs) but when you have 3 I don't see how it becomes too much of a weakness and it's certainly not something that is easy to shut down.

I agree on their downside you point out and the interior weakness is why we are in a better position than anyone to beat them I believe.

[birdwatcher]

Unless the Heat buck the trend, the playoffs slow down running teams and make them play half court. Great defense and size will play a big part in that, as well as depth. They have one of those three things, and we have them all.

[vinnie]

The 01-02 Lakers blew threw the playoffs with essentially the Shaq and Kobe show.  In the finals Shaq and Kobe scored 252 of the Lakers 424 points or just shy of 60%.  Fisher was the 3rd leading scorer in all but game 1 (fox had him by 1 point) and scored 51 points in the four games.  Putting him with Kobe & Shaq gives that trio 303 of the total points or 71.4% of the Lakers total (with Fox's 39 added in you are just under 81%).  The Lakers won all four of those games and all but game 2 were incredibly close games.

The reality is, come playoff time the teams with the superstars more times then not win because they have the superstars that can carry them when the going gets tough.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with have 3 players account for the vast majority of your scoring, if the 3 players are that good, which I believe the Heat trio is.  The Heat's downfall, if it has one, is it lacks size and could get muscled around.

This is what I fear. As for the point guard matchup, the Heat don't need a point guard.